Medieval, Total War...

[Dirty Harry]

"C'mon kid. You're a pretty good swordsman." Lennox growled tiredly, bringing the kid into the Kakariko village. Some of the younger men were eyeing Link, wondering who he was, and why Lennox had brought him in. Some seemed to remember him, some seemed to wonder who he was. Link, for the most part, ignored them.

"Was there an Iron Knuckle here?" Link asked as they walked toward Impa's house. Lennox gazed at the imprints the Knuckle had left, and asked Link how he knew. "The footprints. And the dent in the ground there indicates that the whole thing was split in half. Did you do that?"

"Yeah." Lennox murmured.

"You're a lot stronger than I thought. You were holding out on me, weren't you?" Link stated. Lennox smiled grimly, but didn't answer, and instead opened the door to Impa's house, to find...

[Alantie]

. . .the house was in utter chaos. Lennox could feel his jaw drop as he stared in numb shock at the mess that surrounded him, feeling Link peeking around him to get a look. Paintings on the walls were askew, drawers pulled out from desks, the sheets yanked from the bed, and countless objects on the floor. Even some of the floorbordes were pulled up. Impa was kneeling to gather sheets of parchment littered on the ground around the fireplace, glancing up momentarily at the two men.

"Don't just stand there," she snapped at the two who were still gawking. "Make yourselves useful!"

Link, blinking, obeyed immediately. Lennox, with a slight scowl at being adressed like a child followed at a slower pace. Within a few minutes the house was in a more reasonable order, and they could at last sit in the wooden chairs clustered around the table.

"What happened here?" Lennox inquired of Impa.

She glared at him, her temper clearly short indeed. "What does it look like?" she growled. "My house was broken into!"

Link's sapphire eyes swelled, but he didn't say anything, glancing instead to the other man who seemed to be struck dumb.

"But how?" he stammered. "You put wards on your home to prevent such things! Was anything taken?"

"Whoever did it had some knowledge of magic," the Sheikah woman informed him, sipping at a cup of tea to soothe her nerves. "There is no other way they could have gotten inside. As for what was taken. . . Lennox, I'm afraid the Shadow Key is gone."

Hands slammed down on the table, causing the cups to rattle. "No!" he shouted furiously, dark eyes blazing. "It was Ganondorf for certain! When I get my hands on that Gerudo-"

"It was not him."

"What?" Lennox stopped his tirade, whirling on her. "How could you possibly know that?!"

She rose, walked across the room to retreive something, and threw it on the table before him. Lennox blinked, staring down at the white rose that lay innocently in front of him. A frown wrinkling his brow, the man picked it up, confused.

"I don't understand."

"I found it under the window the theif must have used to get in. A calling card, if you so choose to call it. The symbol of the one who took it." Impa returned to her seat, gazing at Lennox as the man brought it closer to his gaze for inspection. "Ganondorf would never use something like a white rose for his symbol. If he chose to leave one at all."

"It-its dying," he murmured.

And indeed it was true. The petals were stained black, the bloom drooping, which should not have been happening. Roses were magical plants in Hyrule, able to weather famines and droughts, lasting years after they were plucked. But this sad little flower was. Strange, it was almost as if its purity was being contaminated, chocked by some evil. . . A sharp pain assaluted his finger and her stared down numbly at the sharp thorn that had peirced his flesh. A drop of scarlet blood welled up, slipping down his finger to stain the white petals.

"It still could be one of his followers," Lennox argued.

"Perhaps," Impa agreed, though she sounded doubtful. "In any case, we had better redouble our efforts to find the Keys before Ganondorf does."

"Alright! Let's go!" Link had leapt from his seat, sapphire eyes blazing with the fire of adventure.

Impa stared at him, then Lennox. "Who is this?"

"Well. . ."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mithael stared down at her hands from where she sat at Ganondorf's side, resisting the urge to yawn. It was the Evil King's custom to have her sit in at all of his councils and meetings, in case something should spark a vision. However this day she was exhausted and restless, unable to consentrate on anything that was being said. She knew that all must see the palor of her face, the dark circles around her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. When at last the meeting was over, she rose gratefully to go, but a cold hand closing around her wrist stopped her.

"Yes, milord?"

"What is wrong with you?" His voice was abrupt, clipped and cold as it always was. "Are you ill?"

"I don't know, milord," Mithael returned, blinking her dark eyes. "I did not sleep well last night. Perhaps I am coming down with a cold."

He released her, golden eyes staring at her unblinkingly. "Perhaps. In any case, do not overtax yourself. You must be able to search for the Keys." Seeming to loose interest in her, he waved his hand, giving her leave to go.

She curtseyed and hurried away, intent on returning to bed. She had spoke nothing but the truth when she had told the Evil King of her fatigue, and she did indeed feel ill, but she was sure it wasn't a cold.

"You are killing yourself."

Sheik's voice caused her to jump. "Do not sneak up on me like that!" she snapped.

The Sheikah appeared unruffled, stepping out of the shadows of her room to watch the girl collapse onto her thin pallet. "Ganondorf is streaching your powers too far, particularly when he knows in most cases you are of little help to him. With the exeption of the Princess- and Lennox."

"There is little I can do," Mithael responded listlessly.

"You have become a wraith." Sheik spilled elegantly down beside her, crimson eyes veiled. "You are fading away even as I watch. Soon there will be nothing left of your bright spirit, only a shell left to serve Ganon."

"I'm not ready to give myself up yet."

"You may not have a choice."

Mithael looked away.

[Dirty Harry]

AU: For my enjoyment. I think?

"Lemme see you NOD YA HEAD!" Lennox yelled, crowing in the middle of his room to the time of the music, nodding his head. In a very noob-like fashion.

"I'm dangerous, I'm-" Lennox suddenly tripped over. "Agh!"

"Yes. You're very dangerous. To yourself." Mithael murmured, while Andri giggled behind her.

OOC: Now my post.


"This is Link." Lennox muttered. "He said he wanted to see you."

Impa's eyes were bulging as she viewed the young man before her. He smiled pleasantly at her, then turned to Lennox, and asked "What's happening? Did something bad happen?"

Sighing, Lennox thought to himself, Link' just as bad as a ten year old. No idea about emotions or anything.

"Yes. Something bad happened. I've gotta go fix it." Lennox looked at Impa, who nodded, for Lennox to prepare to hunt whoever had stolen the Key.

"I'll leave you with Link?" Lennox asked, as he grabbed some rations hastily, and shoved them into his pack.

"Yes. That'll be all, Lennox. Leave. Quickly."

Lennox moved as fast he could, determined to trail the thief while the path they'd left was still fresh. Arriving outside of Kakariko, Lennox looked for any sign of where a thief might've been.

"If I was a thief, if I was a thief, I would go to..."

"Lon Lon Ranch."

Lennox whirled around, to be confronted by three large men, all riding horses. All dressed up in armor. And all of them with drawn swords.

"Unfortunately..."

"...we doubt that you..."

"...will ever go there."

"Oh?" Lennox smiled devilishly. "You looking for a fight?"

Drawing his sword, the gleaming blade glinted in the sunlight.

"You got one."

[Princess Zelda]

Sheik disengaged himself from rough exercise after rough exercise. (this comes from my memory of all those things Impa taught me...) He quickly threw dagger after dagger into the Redeads, splitting their flesh asunder as they dissolved in putrid flames. (Redeads were amazingly annoying...)

"Are you here again, Sheik?" Ganondorf smirked, as the Redeads revived, their corpses swaying from side to side.

"Yes. Just practicing." Sheik answered. (I still shudder to think of Ganondorf)

"Have you found the Hero yet?"

"No." I-wait, wait,-Sheik answered.

"I've sent some of my men after Lennox. Go find Andri. I want you to extract as much information about the Keys as you can from her. She's not in her room." Ganondorf enjoyed giving him tasks that took a long time.

"You enjoy this don't you?" Sheik asked. "This sadism?"

"Of course. Go." Ganon said, chuckling ruthlessly. Sheik complied, and in a flash, disappeared.


O Goddesses, that's so weird to talk about yourself in third person perspective...

[Alantie]

"What are you doing?"

Mithael glanced up, sparing a look at the Sheikah before turning her attention to the bundle of vegetation she held. "The aromas of these plants are supposed to be beneficial for colds and other ailments," she returned before burrying her nose to inhale the fragrences deeply. "You well know I've been ill these past few days."

Sheik frowned, crimson eyes glittering. It was true that the girl had looked ill, but she had been raised among fresh air and sunlight and never had been sick before. It was quite unusual and made the warrior uneasy.

"Anyway, why are you here?" Mithael's dark eyes lifted from the bundel she held momentarily. "Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on events?"

"Ganondorf wanted me to, 'extract' more information about the whereabouts of the Keys from you."

The young woman pulled a face, her eyes narrowing. "Oh Goddesses, he is a fool."

"You are just discovering this?" Sheik returned in a lightly bantering voice.

She shook her head, her hair glittering like flames in the sunlight. "No. But I had hoped he would have become wise enough about my abilities to know what I can do and what I cannot do."

"Perhaps he isn't mistaken. You remember you told me in private that if you believed the Shadow Key to be anywhere, it would be at Impa's home?" Sheik fixed Mithael with an unblinking stare. "Ganondorf recieved word that the Shadow Key was stolen from Impa's house the other night."

The herbs slipped from her fingers, her eyes huge as saucers. "You mean. . . what I said was true?" When Sheik nodded, she shook her head, eyes still wide. "It's mere coincidence," she protested. "Anyone could have figured that one out! Twas easy!"

"If the Evil King were to hear of it, he would not think so." Sheik knelt down beside the girl, taking in her pale face, her overbright eyes, and placed a bandaged hand to her forehead. "You are burning up with fever. You should be inside, resting."

Mithael clutched at Sheik's hands. "It was a coincidence!" she insisted, her eyes wide with a flicker of fear. "Please, do not say anything to him! Please! If he thinks I am withholding information, he will-"

"There is nothing to tell," Sheik soothed, gripping the girl's trembling hands comfortingly. "It is as you said, a mere coincidence. No fear, Mithael. Now, let me take you home?"

"It is not home," she murmured softly, tears glistening on her cheeks as she allowed herself to be drawn to her feet. "I have no home anymore." Her dark lashes fluttered as she looked up at Sheik. "I fear you were right though- I am becoming a wraith. Soon there will be nothing left of me. Do not let yourself go the same way Sheik."

There came the familiar flash and in mere seconds they were back inside Ganon's Castle, in Mithael's dark, gloomy chamber.

"I remain myself because I cling to the memory of those I love and who love me," the Sheikah retorted. "You would do well to follow that example."

She smiled bitterly. "There is no one left in this world who loves me," she whispered as the Sheikah helped her into bed. "No one."

Sheik bit down on his lip, a worried scowl marring the smooth skin of his brow as he stared at her. There wasn't much time left. Mithael was fading, Ganondorf was on the move, the Keys were being stolen and . . . and the hero had emerged again. He had to alert his comrade to how precious little time remained before. . .

Sheik turned from where the girl lay, stepping out into the dark hallway and happened to glance out the window. Night had fallen.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lon Lon Ranch was quiet in the light of a half moon. The black cloaked figure paused, pocaline face glancing up at it momentarily. Half darkness, half light. Very fitting. Even more fitting if the darkness was swallowing the light.

Fluidly, soundlessly, the theif slipped through the shadows towards the barn, mind intent on one thing, the treasure the ranch owners were said to keep well hidden: the Key of Light. But something made the mysterious person pause, shrinking further into the darkness as the sounds of someone approaching grew louder. . .

(Mmm, yes. Mucho good. But just a word, no capturing the theif. That is a no no! *shakes finger* At least, not yet . All in good time, all in good time!)

[Dirty Harry]

"Pfft. Blood annoyances. Only good thing they did was bring me a horse." Lennox muttered, swinging onto oneo f the horses of the now-dead servants of Ganondorf.

The resistance-what resistance?-might've been able to use the horses, but then again, they were so porrly trained that he might as well not have bothered. Setting them free, he began the trip to Lon Lon Ranch.

By the time he'd reached there, the crescent moon had risen high into the night sky. The darkness of Ganondorf had ate the light away, leaving behind a cold, chilling and unearthly light.

Lennox pushed the gates open, hand on sword, when-

CHINK!

"What the-" Lennox swept the blade out, knocking the daggers away from him, and found the source of the weapons; a figure, now bathed in moonlight, who'd stepped out of the shadows. Fluid movements carried them through the night air, to the windmill.

"Hey! Stop! Dammit..." Lennox swore under his breath, and ran toward the windmill. As he approached the spinning blades, he grabbed a grappling hook the was twirled around his belt. It was short, but all he had to do was hook it into the blade closest to the ground, and let the windmill carry him up to the top, where the thief had disappeared to.

"Hey! You!" Lennox's sword was still drawn, and as the image of the thief suddenly appeared in range of a swipe, he slashed, cutting the air and creating a gust of wind, while the thief nimbly dodged away. And, as the thief stepped into the moonlight, a face could be seen. Lennox froze, shock seizing his every limb in a vice like grip.

"You! It's you!" Lennox screamed, a bloody haze of rage covering his eyes.

(OOC: Alantie, you do know you'll have to control the thief. And he/she needs a name. And Andri needs help. Must I create another character?)

[Alantie]

(Yes, I control the theif. But. . . you can't see the theif's face yet!! MWAHAHAHAHA!! You can create another character if you wish, but I assure you that Sheik will take good care of Mithael/Andri. Well, as good as possible. poor dear )

A white, porcaline mask was all that could be seen where the theif's face should have been. Innocent, childlike and genderless, a sharp contrast to the black cloak and garb that swathed the slender body. But what had drawn Lennox's attention was the shimmering gold Key adorned with a yellow diamond that was clentched tightly in an onyx gloved fist.

"You're the theif!" Lennox spart furiously, taking another step nearer. He was enraged, fury blazing like liquid fire through his veins. These Keys were the only way he had to revenge Andri, the only purpose he had left in his life. "Give that to me!!"

The figure didn't speak, merely shook its cowled head slightly. This defiance only made him even more angry. He suddenly realized that the theif had put more distance between them, and was readying to escape, desperatly, he shouted out, trying to delay to give himself a chance to capture the elusive being.

"Tell me who you are!"

Once more the head shook in a negative motion, then in a single swift motion, threw something at Lennox before turning and leaping off the windmill. The man caught the object out of reflex, staring down at yet another dying white rose. But this time it was different. Around the stem, attached by a black ribbon was a snowy card with words penned in flowing black ink. Masked Moon

By the time things registered, it was too late; the theif, Masked Moon, had escaped, taking with him the Key. His grip tightened reflexively, crushing the card in his clentched hand and snapping the delicate stem. Gone. Yet another chance to avenge Andri lost. Who knew how many Keys Masked Moon had succeeded in collecting. Worst still, Lennox had to admit that it didn't seem as if the thief was with Ganondorf, but then, it didn't seem to be with his side either. There was only one option: Masked Moon had to be caught.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?!"

Mithael blinked, resisting the urge to scream, settling for a heavy sigh. "Yes, my lord, I do. Someone else has been stealing the Keys. The Desert, Light, and Shadow Keys have been taken. We must find the Water, Forest, and Fire Keys first."

Ganondorf was pacing in front of his throne chair while she stood before him, hands clasped. She wore a veil today, sheer and black, to help disguise the palor of her skin and the alarming dark circles under her eyes. She knew that if he noticed at all that she was becoming even worse in health, he would chastise her, perhaps even hit her as if being sick was somehow her fault.

"Yes!!" he stomped his foot, so hard that the decorative plate nearby crashed off its pedastle into a thousand shards, but the Gerudo man did not notice, whirling on her. "Why haven't you been able to locate them?!"

She blinked. "You know how my powers work, my lord. I cannot help what I can see and what I can't."

His hand flashed out, slapping her hard across the cheek. Mithael fell to the floor in a huddled, heap tasting blood. She stayed down; getting up would mean being hit again.

"Damn you," he snarled. "Worthless girl!" He punctuated his words with a kick, causing her to cry out. "You had better try harder! Don't you dare come to me again without some shard of information, or I will not hesitate to execute you! Is that understood?!"

"Y-ye-"

Her words were cut off by another vicious kick to her ribs. Inwardly she shrank in fear, a terrified little child as tears ran down her cheeks.

"My lord!"

Footsteps, and the assault stopped as Ganondorf turned. "What is it now, Sheik?"

"I've recieved word that Lennox's rebellion are planning on attacking one of your outposts near Death Mountain. Reports state that rumors are going around that the Gorons possess the Key of Fire."

"Excellent! I will go ralley the troops." Ganondorf's footsteps faded, leaving Mithael on the floor with Sheik.

In an instant the young Sheikah had knelt beside the girl helping her sit up. "You are hurt."

"It's been worse," she whispered, allowing Sheik to blot at the blood trickling down her chin.

"On top of your sickness it is worse," he returned flatly, crimson eyes narrowed. "You are going to get yourself killed."

"It doesn't matter. I have nothing left anyway-"

"Don't you dare say that!" Sheik became angry at once. "What about him? What about Lennox, And-"

"Don't say that name!" she shreiked, yanking herself away from Sheik. "Do not call me by that name! I cannot be her again until this is over! I forbid you to call me that!"

"I wouldn't have to if you would remember yourself," was the icy retort, though the bandaged hands were gentle as they helped the girl up. "You must not allow yourself to be cut off from your past."

"I know," she whimpered, allowing herself to be dragged back to her dark chamber. "I know"

(graaahhh, so much angst for the poor girl! )

[Dirty Harry]

Eranei sighed, looking at her travelling staff with annoyance. It had blood on it from her last encounter with the bandits that sometimes haunted the fields. She continued her journey toward Kakariko, annoyed at the fact that she was constricted to a long jounrey near to a river, in order for her to get water.

Suddenly, a knife floated into existence before her. She smiled at the tiny thing, floating in mid-air. Even warded with magic, it was no match for the magic she could conjure. Letting it drop to the ground, she continued on her way, but was abruptly stopped by a figure, holding out their hand, as if asking for something.

Whoever it was wore a mask of porcelain white, and they were unidentifiable. They held their hand out again, and Eranei just shrugged.

"No money. See?"

In response, the person attacked her.

[Princess Zelda]

Sheik appeared at the Death Mountain outpost, teleporting there in a flash of light. Quickly, he ran up the mountain, towards the outpost where Ganon's moblins were.

"There are a group of men coming to attack you! Quickly! To arms!" Sheik called. The moblins, knowing of Ganon's secret advisor, were quick to act on his advice; they pulled their weapons out, and stormed down to defend their outpost. What they didn't see was Sheik lob a bomb with a dagger in it, right behind them. The bomb exploded, stunning the group of them, and Sheik threw a bunch of daggers into their burnt bodies, killing them.

Sheik was about to teleport back to the castle, when, far off, he felt the presence of a powerful magic.

"No...impossible!" Sheik muttered. In a flash, he was outside the village. In front of him, two powerful magical entities duelled each other in a battle of power and socery.

"Impossible! They're too powerful, they'll..." Sheik rushed forward, aiming to end the fight as fast as he possibly could.

[Alantie]

Sheik grabbed for the first person he could, which was Eranei, yanking the girl clear off of her feet as he planted himself between her and the masked person. His timely appearance seemed just what was needed to end the fight. The cloaked figure gave up the battle at once, fleeing swiftly and silently into the darkness.

"Get outta my way!!!" Eranei shrieked, her eyes blazing with fury as she struggled to get around the Sheikah. "That theif stole something of mine!!! LET ME AT HIM!!!"

"What?!" Shocked, Sheik kept a firm grip on the girl's upper arm, forcing the clear gray eyes to meet his crimson ones. "You must be mistaken. . ."

"I'm not!" she cried indignatly, her nose wrinkling in anger. "It was a family heirloom given to my mother by King Zora himself." Furious, Eranei slammed the butt of her staff into the muddy ground, not hearing the sharp intake of breath from Sheik at her side.

Impatient and irritated, Sheik gave the girl a shake. But what was it, girl?!"

"My name's Eranei, not girl," she retorted, clearly short of temper. "And it was a gold and silver key with a sapphire on the top. I wore it around my neck on that chain." She gestutured to a glittering gold chain that lay on the muddy ground, broken. "That theif grabbed the key and yanked it from my neck."

Sheik could only stare at her. She obviously had no idea that her family trinket was the Key of Water, and that now only the Fire and Forest Keys were left to be recovered. It held only sentimental value, and she did not see its true power as that to open a gate that would lead either to destruction or salvation.

[Dirty Harry]

AU: For our enjoyment Alantie...

"As for you, Private, if you mention a word of this to anyone, I'll feed you to the cat thing here. Understand?" Mithael hissed, annoyed.

"Uhh...sure..." the private murmured, half in a fit of pity, and in a fit of laughter.

Lennox felt a growl of pure hatred emitting from his throat. The cat suit that Mithael had dressed him up in was not to his liking.

"Yum..." he gritted out.

And now, back to my post...


Lennox hurried toward the village, hoping to somehow get into Death Mountain. His massive blade dragged behind him, it's hilt grasped firmly in his hand. He'd just reached the foot of the stairs when he heard it.

Or rather, them.

Four Iron Knuckles, each one a dark ochre, stood imposingly, waiting to spell doom for him. They each stank of blood, human, animal and otherwise, and their axes, each glinting with the spark of polished steel, called him to battle.

He did not hesitate.

Lennox ran at the first one, timing his strike to co-incide with the Knuckle's swing. He aimed a kick towards it, striking it toward the ground, and dug his blade into the ground, uprooting the earth into another two Knuckles with such brute force that they stumbled backwards.

The last of them, however, suddenly rushed in from the side, throwing his armor toward Lennox. The move surprised him; Lennox was hit by the armor, and, off-balance, was suddenly winded as the massive behemoth of raging armour crashed into him, and sent him flying across and into the river.

Lennox stood up, spitting blood out of his mouth. Pulling the sword out of the water, he laid the flat part of the blade upon his fist.

"This was my own variation to the move Impa taught me," Lennox growled, as a spinning light circulated around the blade. The water gleaming on its surface hissed wickedly, as though some unknown power ran through the metal.

"See ya' in the next life," Lennox smiled grimly, and then there was a flash of white light.

When the light had receded, all that was left were a few charred and broken remains.